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Download.com site feedback forum: Do Not Track Plus tracks!!

by: Coryphaeus March 15, 2012 5:57 AM PDT

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Do Not Track Plus tracks!!

by Coryphaeus - 3/15/12 5:57 AM

I downloaded DNT+ as recommended by CNet. At first I was pleasantly surprised. Then I noticed cookies. Here is my question posted on 2-23-12 to the Abine forums about cookies.

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My OS is XP Pro SP3, browser is Firefox 10.0.2. I have cookies set to prompt on every attempt and not to accept 3rd party cookies. I only allow certain cookies for my home page, home banking, credit card companies, other forums, etc. I'm very specific on what I allow. I recently installed Do Not Track Plus and was impressed. Now I notice that after I run CCleaner and remove all cookies, with DNT+ installed suddenly there are hundreds of cookies now listed in the CCleaner cookie list. I run CCleaner and remove them, I open my browser (again, with DNT+ running) and the cookies from hell are back. I open cookie option in FF, remove ALL cookies, close the browser, open the browser, and the cookies are back. I was never prompted to allow or deny the cookies. If I disable DNT+ in Firefox these cookies are not saved.

New information: After allowing DNT+ to load and run, I ran Super Anti-spyware. It found 77 tracking cookies. These were in the list above. Cookies apparently set by DNT+. I removed them. I reopened Firefox, these cookies were set again.

Why does DNT+ advertise to stop tracking but installs tracking cookies?

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As of today I've not received a reply. Are they hiding something? Because of the cookies that DNT+ adds I cannot recommend this download.


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I may be wrong

by MarkFlax Moderator - 3/15/12 6:09 AM

In Reply to: Do Not Track Plus tracks!! by Coryphaeus

but I saw this mentioned at their web site when i was researching DNT+ whether a FAQ or something else I can't remember.

But 'if I remember rightly' this is the strategy they use to prevent web site cookies from tracking back on us. The cookies are "No follow" cookies so I just assumed they were the web sites' own tracking cookies modified in some way.

But like I say, I may be wrong.

Here's their Privacy Policy; http://www.abine.com/privacypolicy.php

I think I found it. In their Support > FAQ > "More questions" page; http://www.donottrackplus.com/faqs2.php

Why do I see more cookies added to my browser?

Those cookies are what we call opt-out cookies. They protect you from targeted advertising because when these cookies are in place, websites are unable to put their own trackers. They signal to advertisers that you want to opt-out of receiving target advertising (it's like the "Do Not Call" list for targeted advertising). While regular cookies tell websites information about your online behavior, opt-out cookies tell advertising companies that you *don't want* to receive targeted advertising. They're the same cookies for everybody, so they can't be used to track you, and we keep them from getting deleted to ensure maximum opt-outs.

Please see this page for more info: http://abine.com/optout/

Mark


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Very interesting!!

by Coryphaeus - 3/15/12 6:14 AM

In Reply to: I may be wrong by MarkFlax Moderator

Makes sense to me. Too bad that information is not up front because I just posted a scathing review in their CNet downloads page. That information needs to be on the download page or at least on their home page. Oh well.


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Not a problem

by MarkFlax Moderator - 3/15/12 6:20 AM

In Reply to: Very interesting!! by Coryphaeus

Can you edit that entry? If not I don't see it as a problem. If they are up to speed on these things they can read it and reply, or respond by changing their product description accordingly

Exactly how scathing? happy

Mark


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I deleted the post . . .

by Coryphaeus - 3/15/12 7:27 AM

In Reply to: Not a problem by MarkFlax Moderator

Something we can't do here! LOL It's the same as what I entered above.


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